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Criminal Defense Lawyer – Who Am I?

I take the role of criminal defense lawyer very seriously. I’m a fighter. I understand that when you face criminal charges, your freedom, career, and future are on the line. Besides the possibility of incarceration, a loss may cost you your job, benefits, government/professional licensing, your reputation, and more. I’ve dedicated myself to the sole practice of criminal defense because you need to get it right the first time: it’s not easy to repair an oversight by a part-time criminal defense attorney. Having a skilled advocate may make the difference in your ultimate outcome, and I aim to fill that niche for every single one of my clients.

I practice primarily in Montgomery, Bucks, and Chester counties, however I will take cases all over south-east Pennsylvania for the right client. I’ve handled hundreds of criminal defense cases, beginning during law school, and now as the principal attorney of my own practice. I’ve been acclaimed at every stage of my professional development – I received a full scholarship to law school. I won multiple mock trial competitions scoring first place. I’ve written major PA Supreme Court appeals, one of which successfully overturned approximately 4,500 sex offense sentences. I’ve achieved stellar trial performance with victories for serious felonies. (My favorite included a client’s confession on an audio recorded prison phone line.)

Perhaps most importantly, each and every single one of my clients is important to me. I don’t care what you are accused of, how minor or great the seriousness of your charges, and I don’t care how hard your case is going to be. If you want me in your corner, and you can afford to pay my reasonable fee, every ounce of my expertise is going to be at your disposal. We either get the result that works for you, or we don’t stop fighting.

What Makes Me Different?

First and foremost, I am one of the rare attorneys that handles only criminal defense cases. Unlike some attorneys that practice a combination of criminal defense and another practice area, I only accept criminal defense cases. I strive to be not just good at what I do, but to truly master my craft. A singular focus is necessary to achieve that level of skill.

Second, I am extremely willing to dig my feet into the ground and fight my cases. I don’t get good offers because I make friends with Government attorneys and invite them out for afternoon tea. I get good offers because I’m not afraid to schedule hearings for constitutional violations, or to cross examine police and witnesses during a full jury trial. I don’t just threaten action, I actually take it. A proven track record of “not bluffing” makes difficult cases easier to resolve. It also means I have the full panoply of skills necessary to fight effectively if cards need to be laid on the table.

Third, unlike some other highly reputable attorneys, I do not hand my cases off to associates or colleagues. Although there is nothing wrong with this practice in theory, I find that my personal involvement is important to achieving the best outcome. As your attorney, barring some unforeseen scheduling conflict or emergency, I handle your case personally at every stage, from your initial interview through the final outcome.

Fourth, I do not hide the ball when it comes to attorney’s fees. Once we can have a thorough discussion of your case, and I can review court records, I can tell you exactly what I will charge to handle the entirety of your case through the end of trial, if necessary. I am not a bargain bin attorney, but I also price fairly and clearly. You don’t need to worry about hiring me and then losing me halfway through a critical point of your case because of unpredictable fees.

I strongly believe that by focusing myself entirely on criminal defense, I’ve achieved a depth of skill I would otherwise never have. Just like a heart surgeon who performs the same surgery 5 days a week, I’ve got an honed set of criminal defense skills that are never distracted by other areas of the law. I’m a true criminal defense lawyer, and I wake up every day with the intent to master my craft.

Can you imagine the anger, frustration, and possibly even anxiety of being half-way through your case, and your lawyer tells you that you’re out of money, and need to pay him an additional retainer or he’ll file a motion to withdraw from your case?

Ican tell you exactly how much I will cost to represent you in your case each step of the way, including ultimately up to the end of trial if necessary. Once I quote you a figure, it won’t increase. Why? I have the experience necessary to know roughly how long a case will run, and how much of my time it will take. However, sometimes cases vary.

If you aren’t getting a good offer from the District Attorney’s Office, and we need to fight issues in your case, I love litigating, filing briefs, and doing courtroom advocacy. That’s why I’m not afraid to give you a straight quote for your case. If I end up putting in extra work for a low price, I’m enjoying my job and keeping my skills sharp, even if I’m not making as much for my bottom line.

I can give you a set price, usually in a few set installments if you hire me early (otherwise in a single lump sum), and you’ll never have to pay anything more in legal fees, no matter how many hours I work, unless you choose to retain me for something else (like violation of your terms of probation, or an appeal on the case). I have purposefully designed my practice so that I can maximize my time practicing criminal defense – by eliminating the need to chase after clients for money, or tracking my hours for hourly billing.

Are you struggling to figure out the best course of action for yourself or a loved one? There are so many possible outcomes to a criminal case that it is next to impossible for a layman to weigh them all themselves. Consulting an experienced attorney is the first step to achieving the best outcome in any criminal matter. I can tell you bluntly and simply what your next steps are going to be, and what the possible outcomes will ultimately be in your case. Even if I ultimately decline to take your case, I will happily give you advice and/or guidance, free of charge.

0% Free Initial Consult

The quicker that a criminal defense attorney gets involved in your case, the better. To achieve the best possible outcome, sometimes pre-hearing action can and should be taken. More actions can be taken to preserve evidence, build a case against the Government, increase your chances of entry into a diversionary program which will result in the dismissal of your charges, and more.

You have nothing to lose. You aren’t being billed to call me to discuss the possibility of getting me involved in your case. Click that schedule button, and lets talk.

Why Do I Need a Criminal Defense Lawyer Quickly?

Retaining an experienced and dedicated criminal defense lawyer is important. To get the best possible outcome in your case it’s often imperative to act quickly. There are a variety of issues that need to be addressed early on in the process.

Starting early can improve your chances of:

Being deemed eligible for diversionary programs and treatment courts, which upon completion can result in the dismissal of charges without a criminal record.

Having charges potentially dismissed at the preliminary hearing, because your criminal defense lawyer was able to reach out to witnesses and determine their potential testimony and availability to appear on your behalf.

Improving the likelihood that bail will not need to be posted, saving you money and potentially time in jail.

Can you Explain Your Pricing?

I will provide you with a clearly defined and structured fee arrangement that includes a total fee which includes my services as your attorney, as necessary, for all of the following:

Negotiations with Police

Preliminary Hearing

Investigation of Case

Formal Arraignment

Negotiation with the District Attorney

Pretrial Motions

Pretrial Hearings

Pretrial Conferences

Motions in Limine

Voir Dire

Trial

Sentencing

Additionally, if there are any other legal matters that need to be dealt with prior to trial, I will address them at no additional cost. There are no hidden fees.

However, other matters not directly involved in fighting your case through the end of trial and/or sentencing are not included. These include, for example: appeals (I handle these by separate agreement), failure to appear warrants and contempt hearings (the Court sentencing you for failure to attend court dates), probation violations if you get a probationary sentence and later violate the terms of your probation (I handle these by separate agreement), payments to other entities or court costs associated with your case, etc. Feel free to set up an appointment if you have any questions.

If you have, retrieve the criminal complaint that has been provided to you by the court or police officer. Proceed to Step 2.

You would have received it by mail if you were never in jail/booking. You would have received it at the “Preliminary Arraignment” that bail was set at if you were arrested and held in booking/incarcerated. I can assist you if you have lost this paperwork.

If you have not, and you are looking to hire me in advance of your case being filed (often to assist with initial police contact), please contact me and we will discuss your options. I am usually unable to give you a full price in these circumstances, but I can give you a general ballpark estimate, as well as a low upfront fee to get involved immediately.

Find the date listed for your Preliminary Hearing (or summary trial).

I charge one small fee upfront (all fees are guaranteed in my agreement with you to not increase.) One that will be due immediately upon you signing the representation agreement, to cover my initial work on your case, and the preliminary hearing, which is the first court appearance before the magistrate judge in most cases.

If the charges are dismissed, this is all you will ever pay.

After your preliminary hearing, if the charges are bound over to the Court of Common Pleas, you will pay a second and final payment that will retain my services through the rest of your case, up through a negotiated agreement, entry to a diversionary program, or the completion of trial.

Depending on your county, this may be as far off as several months after the preliminary hearing. I will let you know directly during your signing when the earliest possible date you will need to have gathered the money by will be, and the rest of your likely case timeline.

I will guarantee the total price as soon as I am able to review your case paperwork. There will be no moving targets.

If you are trying to hire me late in the process, after your preliminary hearing or formal arraignment, I generally charge a single lump sum.

If you have multiple dockets, or multiple “complaints,” I will charge for each of them, but generally offer a discount for multiple dockets as we can usually resolve them in fewer court appearances.

If there are multiple complaints, fees will vary depending on if they were filed in separate counties, with separate court dates, and/or if they were related to extremely different circumstances which would require separate investigation.

Need help? Set up a phone appointment, send me an email, or fill out the contact form (links below), I’ll assist and explain everything.

Criminal Defense Attorney - Copyright 2018 - Christopher Koschier, Esq - All Rights Reserved.
None of the information on this site should be read as legal advice. No discussion of case outcomes should be read to predict future outcomes, since each case is unique.
No attorney-client relationship exists or will be created unless and until a written retainer agreement is signed.
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